Saint John Mill Rats host students for first Rumble at the Station

Saint John innercity athletes were given the chance to feel like NBA stars Sunday as 20 young basketball players were welcomed to the first ever Rumble at the Station.

The students from Hazen WhiteSt. Francis and Prince Charles schools were fitted with new basketball shoes, then attended a skills workshop led by the Saint John Mill Rats of the National Basketball League of Canada.

The new shoes were donated by Saint John company Dealermine and the court time by the Mill Rats.

Shelby Fitzsimmonssaidshe hopesthe new footwear will improve her game.

"Now that I have new shoes it will help with the running," she said.

Mill Rats shooting guard Johnny Mayhane said proper shoes are paramount to improving skills.

"Without shoes, I mean you really can't, you really can't move the way you want to move and you really can't do what you want to do. So, I think that's really awesome," he said.

The students rode a bus to the event and got to disembark like a visiting team. After the workshop, there was a game on the Mill Rats hard court.

JaneMcTague,Prince Charles School basketball coach,said the day was an experience her students won't soon forget.

"Now it's going to be 'remember that time when we had this big day at the Mill Rats and I met these players and oh, my God, they were so tall!'" she said.

Two more Rumble in the Station events are coming up in April, giving a total of 100 children the chance to experience professional basketball.